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First Trachea Transplant From Stem Cells

By Dorsey Shaw
Flickr: Creative Commons by DT Rinpoche

A 30-year-old woman whose left airway collapsed as a result of tuberculosis was given the world's first trachea transplant grown using her body's own stem cells.

Doctors used a trachea from an organ donor and and since it had been prepped by the patient's own stem cells before transplantation, her body accepted it without immune-suppressing drugs and the procedure was successful.

Four months after the surgery, the patient is still doing well. She can "walk up two flights of stairs, walk 500 meters without stopping, and care for her children," writes Paolo Macchiarini, MD, and colleagues in a news release.

Watch The CBS News/Sky News Report

Comments

(26)

Jesus hates those doctors!

Every stem cell is a POTENTIAL BABY, don't they realize that? I mean, what's one little asphyxiation of one otherwise healthy, productive person compared to the rescue of all those precious, precious little could-be-blastocysts? And curing Alzheimer's? You're talking about trying to get around Dog's JUDGMENT! I mean, can't you see that turning their brains to a tangle of fishing line is PUNISHMENT for old people who didn't' work hard enough when they were young? DUH!

Listen sinners, when Dog created the entire Universe 6000 years ago in six literal, 24-hour days, do you think He intended us to use those might-be-future-babies to SAVE LIVES? You liberals are so going to hell, and in 2013 President Gingrich will just help you along.

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 19, 2008 - 3:04pm

Your an idiot, liberalunatic.

All you ever do is spew nonsense and hate against those you don't agree with. You're nothing but a little hitler, without the balls. I bet bathboy boys has a bigger set than you do. You're stuck in the Sad Cafe.

By momofukuNovember 19, 2008 - 10:55pm

I fart in your general direction!

Yo' mama was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries! Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time...

See ya Dec. 5 at Barnes & Noble. If you're not a lying little hanky-headed wanna-be, that is.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 2:14am

No, I will meet you at one of four places

Main gate camp pendleton, your dean's office, campus police office, or the police station. You are a nut, and those are the only places I would feel safe meeting you. Please state your objections to any of these four places. So far, you just keep repeating this barnes and noble crap. I have stated many times that this is unacceptable to me, for more than one reason. You have yet stated why my places of meeting are not acceptable. Come on, little hitler, you must have a good reason. After all, it is you who extended the invite. You know, for a civil discussion. Barnes and Noble is not the ideal location for that. My locations are. By the way, what about a debate in front of your class? Scared of being outclassed by someone who has facts on his side? Someone who's speech you cannot control? Someone who is not intimidated by you? Please, tell us why you find these safe and sane meeting places unacceptable to you.

By momofukuNovember 20, 2008 - 9:40am

What a queermo you are!

You KNOW that two people hanging around a police facility who have no business there, are bound to attract unwanted attention, so why even bring it up? Even more important, why must you hide behind law enforcement? Are you that scared of a mild-mannered little 50-year-old professor with a bad knee? No. I'm not biting. You will be perfectly safe in a bookstore café. No police stations, you little pussy. I never heard of anything so stupid. Your fear is laughable.

And as for your "facts" which you pull out of FOX "News" and the latest conservative paperback...they have spoken for themselves on this blog, many times. In case you change your mind, I will be where I said that I would be.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 2:54pm

If they used

the woman's own stem cells doesn't that make them adult stem cells?

By richaduNovember 19, 2008 - 3:09pm

Yes. Adult stem cells are

Yes. Adult stem cells are not as flexible as embryonic stem cells, which is why embryonic stem cells are in demand. You can program those to do almost anything, whereas adult stem cells won't work with other people's bodies and can't be fooled into growing into anything needed.
Or that's the way I understand it...

By MichtouNovember 19, 2008 - 7:47pm

None of you seem to know what you are talking about

Fact. There have been many more medical breakthroughs using adult stem cells than with embryonic ones. The research is world wide, yet, all the breakthroughs have been with adult stem cell research, not embryonic ones.

Exploring the World of Stem Cell Research
Adult stem cell research has produced 72 cures and treatments. Embryonic stem cell research and human cloning has produced “0” cures and treatments.

Adult stem cell research has actually been far more successful than embryonic.

We live in interesting and exciting times. Not a day goes by without reading news media accounts reporting on the incredible pace of medical technology advances. But these advances, as welcome as they may be, often lead us into difficult bioethical dilemmas. The use of human embryos for stem cell research and cloning represents a critical crossroads in the life of our culture and society. Will we protect human life in all its stages or will we come to regard it as a tool to be used, a means to some end?

The bioethical challenges facing us can be confusing and abstract to many people. This web site provides a concise overview of the scientific processes involved in cloning and stem cell research and examines their ethical implications.

Embryonic stem cell research gets most of the media's attention, but adult stem cell research has actually been far more successful in providing cures for serious illnesses -- and it does so without harming human life in the process. We invite you to explore the world of stem cell research on this web site with an open mind. What you will discover may enlighten, educate and even surprise you.
What is a Stem Cell? >
http://www.stemcellresearchfacts.com/index.html

By momofukuNovember 19, 2008 - 10:46pm

Peachy clothes

Take it easy. I made my post to see if anyone would notice that Lib'o'clast hadn't read the story properly. The technique used had nothing to do with embryos but Lib dove into a rant about the benefits of abortions.
On another thread today Kirby is talking to a doctor about this miracle and Kirby comments that there are no ethical issues because the woman's own tissues were used.
Michtou merely got it backwards when she said embryonic cells are so highly desirable. Theoretically they have enormous potential because they are undifferentiated but they are unpredictable as well as the ethical problems. As you point out they have shown no results.

By richaduNovember 19, 2008 - 11:32pm

Do you not know SARCASM when you hear it?

What a fucking dipshit. I don't know which of you is more deluded. You and Momofuckoff should move to Massachusetts and get married.

Oh wait. Not before Dec. 5. Momohouseboy is going to have me arrested, you know.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 2:17am

Actually your wrong, as usual, liberallunatic

The point being, you are a broken record. You take any and every opportunity to spew your left wing, anti-god, anti-American ,hate filled propaganda, every time you feel the need to prove to the world that you know more than you do. You're nothing but a little hitler, looking for other little hitler's who will vindicate you're existence, with their acceptance of your belief's. That is why I refute everything you post. I believe silence is acceptance, so I refuse to be silent. Someone has to stand up to your cyber-bullying.

By momofukuNovember 20, 2008 - 9:21am

Did you say something?

*looks*

Nope. You didn't.

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error. ~~~John Kenneth Galbraith

By nonexistent manNovember 20, 2008 - 9:43am

Sorry, I did not mean to include you when I posted.

Michtou just has it wrong, while liberallunatic is just a nut. So far, research using adult stem cells have shown great promise, while embryonic ones have shown nothing but zilch. It is just a way for the far left loons to promote unfettered abortions. Margaret Sanger would be proud of these little hitlers.

By momofukuNovember 20, 2008 - 9:46am

Ah, there you go again!

When you run out of ideas, suddenly "fascism is from the left." Nice repetition of the mindless talking points. How does it feel...being Newt Gingrich's little pickaninny?

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 2:56pm

Please explain how I got it

Please explain how I got it backwards? I never went into the ethical issues. I didn't state anything about why it worked and how the rejection problem was avoided. I simply stated the reason why embryonic stem cells are valued.
When research is stifled, you don't get results. I think we could avoid the issue completely by focusing on cord stem cells.

By MichtouNovember 20, 2008 - 9:50am

A couple of misstatements perhaps

"..which is why embryonic stems cells are in demand.'
Or "..why embryonic stem cells are valued."
It just seems odd to me that one can say such things since many years now of research on ESCs has in fact not yielded a single use.
Sorry

By richaduNovember 20, 2008 - 3:43pm

Accuracy fixxy:

many years now of research on ESCs has in fact not yielded a single use.

What I think you meant to say is, the FDA has not yet approved any treatments for general use, using ESC's. In fact, new cell generation using ESC's (Martin, Muotri, Gage & Varki, 2005) and a treatment for sickle cell anemia (Hanna et al., 2007) have both proven effective in animal testing, and could find application for humans once safety issues are dealt with.

Happy to point out your little linguistic slip. Could happen to anyone. Really. Unless you're just spouting some talking point you've heard on the radio. But THAT couldn't be, now could it?

The Bible is not a medical textbook or scientific document. Learn how to deal.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 4:01pm

Linguistic slip?

Until those minor details such as safety issues are dealt with the fact remains that ESC's have not yielded a single use.
And since I don't speak the language here very well I can honestly say I didn't hear a talking point on the radio.
As far as religion is concerned I've been in a church twice in the past thirty years. Once because a young man couldn't handle his new motorcycle and once because another young man decided fourteen stories would do the job.

By richaduNovember 20, 2008 - 5:35pm

Trying to beg the question?

The fact remains, you stated that there is no application for embryonic stem cells. I pointed out that while such treatments may not yet be approved, application or the potential for it does exist. Therefore your statement was inaccurate.

So if you're not religious, why oppose stem cell research so vehemently? They're BLASTOCYSTS, not people for cryin' out loud.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 5:41pm

Lib'o'clast

When did I say I was vehemently opposed to stem cell research?
If you would READ my earlier post you'll note I used the word "miracle" to describe what the doctors have been able to do for this woman. I also gave credit to Kirby for reminding everyone that there was no ethical problem involved.
To try to answer your question, as far as the embryonic stem cell research is concerned it is where they come from. If they are recovered from natural miscarriages I wouldn't worry about examining them. As Michtou pointed out stifling the pursuit of knowledge is not the smart thing to do. The ethical problem is how to get a large number of them should many treatments become possible.
As for morality in general, I've just muddled along on my own somehow.

By richaduNovember 20, 2008 - 6:37pm

The ethical question...

In my opinion, is in fact answerable. There are uncounted numbers of frozen blastocysts left over from people's fertility efforts. They are going to be thrown away; i.e., killed if a person believes along those lines. Instead, why not take these same cell cultures that are going to be tossed in a dumpster, and put them to work for research and later, when the medical issues are solved, for practical use in medicine? Stem cell lines can be grown from these existing blastocysts...except for the fact that federal funding has been cut off.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 7:41pm

I honestly don't have a problem with this

but President Bush's Exec Order said existing cells could be used. Does not the order cover what you're talking about? Alls I can say is that I wouldn't mind if it did.

By richaduNovember 20, 2008 - 10:38pm

I disagree with you.

I disagree with you. Research has been stymied, but not useless. When you are not allowed to go forward, that doesn't mean there are no uses for what you are working on.
It is true there are side effects to some embryonic stem cell therapies, as tested in animals. There are side effects to almost every therapy. I'm undergoing a therapy that could result in thrombosis or an increase in cancer. I have to weigh the alternative therapies, their usefulness, and the results of not having any therapy at all.
Anyhow, you are incorrect.
http://newsroom.stemcells.wisc.edu/15920
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8006

By MichtouNovember 20, 2008 - 8:29pm

I do sincerely wish

for you a complete and immediate recovery.

By richaduNovember 20, 2008 - 10:48pm

Where did you get your doctorate in biology?

A box of Cheerios? If so, return it; you obviously didn't study hard enough.

Go away. Adults are talking, and you're interrupting.

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error. ~~~John Kenneth Galbraith

By nonexistent manNovember 20, 2008 - 9:44am

Liberty Looniversity...?

That's also where he learned the dinosaurs are extinct because there was no room on Noah's ark. In fact, I think Memefucked did his dissertation on that very subject!

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.
---Ray Bradbury

By LiberalIconoclastNovember 20, 2008 - 3:03pm

Comments

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